Michael Gove urged to intervene in row over bird shooting licenses after crows hung outside Chris Packham’s home

Warning graphic images: Countryside groups demand investigation into decision to revoke licences to kill ‘pests’ such as crows, wood pigeons and magpies

Environment secretary Michael Gove (PA)

Environment secretary Michael Gove should launch a probe into Natural England’s “disastrous” decision to revoke gun licences to shoot 16 species of bird, a coalition of rural organisations has said.

The public body’s move to revoke the licences that previously allowed them to freely shoot “pest” species – such as carrion crows, wood pigeons, magpies and Canada geese – had caused “enormous” problems in the countryside, according to the bodies which include the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC), Countryside Alliance and the National Gamekeepers Organisation.

The decision was taken by Natural England after they were threatened with legal action by environmentalists. Wild Justice – whose directors include BBC presenter Chris Packham – sought a judicial review, which Natural England determined not to fight believing it would lose.

The issue was catapulted to national attention earlier this week when two dead crows were hung from Mr Packham’s gate following Natural England’s ruling.

The Blue Planet Live presenter and his step-daughter posted photos and reported the incident to the police.

Natural England, the body which advises advising the government on managing the natural environment, revoked three general licences for controlling wild birds on 23 April, to be replaced by individual licences.

By late last week, only a new licence allowing the killing of carrion crows had been issued.

In an an open letter to Mr Gove demanding an investigation, BASC condemned the recent attack on Mr Packham’s home, but claimed the new licensing rules are causing havoc in rural areas at one of the busiest times of the farming calendar.

The shooting organisation has argued the 16 bird species covered by the general licence were not shot for sport but for pest control.

BBC presenter Chris Packham found dead crows strung up outside his house on Thursday morning (Chris Packham/Twitter)

“This sudden legal change has caused enormous problems and concern for everyone reliant on general licences, and their withdrawal has come at the worst possible time of year, when lambs, young crops, and nesting birds including curlew and lapwing, are all in most need of protection from marauding “pest” birds," the letter stated.

The decision had left people in rural industries “concerned and angry”, the letter said, adding: “It has been a disastrous episode, appallingly mismanaged by Natural England.”

It concluded: “As secretary of state for the department to which Natural England is contracted as the current licensing authority, you are asked to undertake a full investigation as to who made what decisions, when, and why. Your department needs to determine what changes may be necessary going forward, to ensure this sort of disaster is never repeated.”

Other signatories included the Moorland Association, the National Farmers' Union and Game Farmers’ Association.

A spokesman for BACS said all the signatories had been willing to contribute to a consultation on the licences, and had expected any such consultation to conclude by autumn this year. “Faith in Natural England has absolutely nose-dived.”

He claimed even Wild Justice had been surprised by the speed of the decision.

Mark Avery, one of Wild Justice’s directors, wrote on his blog that the group was campaigning for Natural England to ensure legal loopholes were closed when a new licensing system was introduced in January 2020.

“Our legal case for judicial review called for Natural England to admit the illegality of the [now former] licensing system and to undertake not to introduce a similarly unlawful system on 1 January 2020 when the current [now former] licensing ran out," he said.

A spokeswoman for Defra said: “As the government’s independent adviser, Natural England has made clear it took the difficult but unavoidable decision to change the bird control licensing system as a result of the legal challenge by Wild Justice. They’re working as quickly as possible to issue new licences. There’s no ban and people who need to control birds before all the new licences are available can obtain an individual licence.”

On Saturday Marian Spain, interim chief executive at Natural England, said: “We have been very clear there will be new licences in place in the coming days that cover the vast majority of circumstances covered by the current licences, to ensure landowners can continue to take necessary action, whilst also taking into account the needs of wildlife.”

Additional reporting by Press Association